Rangers: Barry Ferguson wowed by ‘stallion’ Dujon Sterling amid problem at Ibrox
Barry Ferguson has praised Dujon Sterling for his recent Rangers displays with the young defender set to head into the Old Firm derby as a midfielder.
A full-back by trade, Philippe Clement has been deputising Sterling in midfield, doing so alongside Kieran Dowell against Motherwell in their last outing.
And despite being well out of position for most of the season so far, the 24-year-old has earned rave reviews about his performances of late, especially from Ferguson.
“I don’t think anybody in their right mind would have predicted that Rangers would be going into such a crucial spell with Dujon Sterling and Kieren Dowell as the midfield partnership, but they were outstanding at the weekend,” the former Rangers player wrote for Daily Record on Friday (29 December).
“Sterling has been a revelation in that role. He is like a stallion in the middle of the pitch. Big, strong, mobile and athletic but more than that, he can see and play a pass.”
Stepping up
The deployment of Sterling in midfield has been a perfect solution for Philippe Clement. In the absences of the injured Tom Lawrence, Nico Raskin, Jose Cifuentes and John Lundstram, the former Chelsea man has stepped up in a big way.
Sterling joined the club during the summer as one of Michael Beale’s signings, making just two league appearances between the start of the season and the end of November.
However, the player has been vital for Clement during a tricky period, tallying up 204 minutes over the past five league games as a central midfielder. He also deputised in the position during Rangers’ 1-0 victory over Aberdeen in the Viaplay League Cup final.
Although Celtic pose a whole new challenge for the Gers, Clement will feel confident in his midfield heading into the battle at Celtic Park on Saturday, fresh from an impressive league display against Motherwell.
Sterling has plenty of experience at Championship, League One and Premier League 2 level, impressing throughout Chelsea’s academy over many years at Cobham Training Centre.
It will be interesting to see where the makeshift midfielder starts against the Hoops, or if Clement will give the youngster a break.
In other Rangers news, Silva’s success at Ibrox could see a permanent move sorted.